Dysosmia-Associated Changes in Eating Behavior
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Introduction: Olfaction is a highly emotionally charged sense and contributes to our quality of life, which olfactory impairment or dysosmia thus strongly impacts. The aim of the present study was to examine how olfactory deficits alter eating behavior, which is a pillar of health and well-being. Methods: Patients with quantitative smell impairment and control participants were asked to perform a series of chemosensory tasks: odor identification and ratings of odor intensity, pleasantness, familiarity, irritation, and edibility. They also filled out a detailed food questionnaire. Results: Results showed significant decrease in olfactory function in smell-impaired patients. Although no significant consequences of dysosmia were found for most aspects of food preferences and culinary habits, the patients were less attracted than controls by novel foods and tended to experience less pleasure when eating. They also used significantly more condiments such as sugar, mayonnaise, or sour cream to make their dishes tasty. Conclusions: Olfactory impairment has a clear effect on certain aspects of eating behavior. Implications: These findings highlight the compensatory mechanisms that go along with dysosmia. This also reflects the patients’ attempts to restore part of the lost flavor and its hedonic component through non-olfactory cues.
Details
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 104-113 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Chemosensory perception |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 4 |
Publication status | Published - 1 Dec 2017 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
ORCID | /0000-0001-9713-0183/work/148607229 |
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Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Compensation, Dysosmia, Eating, Food, Olfaction, Preferences